Former Senate President and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has congratulated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election, describing the result as a victory for the people despite what he called federal might and political intimidation.
However, Wabara has warned Nigerians and opposition parties against becoming complacent, suggesting that the Osun election could potentially be part of a broader political strategy by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wabara said the outcome demonstrated that political mobilisation and federal power could not permanently suppress the will of a determined electorate.
According to him, although the Osun result showed that the APC could be defeated, Nigerians should not assume that the outcome automatically guarantees an opposition victory in the 2027 presidential election.
“What if Osun is a smokescreen for an APC victory in 2027?”
Wabara said the possibility should not be dismissed, arguing that the APC controls the Federal Government and has significant political resources and machinery at its disposal.
He therefore urged opposition parties and Nigerians to remain vigilant and treat the Osun election as a lesson rather than a guarantee of what will happen in 2027.
Wabara Praises Osun Voters
The former Senate President commended the people of Osun State for standing behind their preferred candidate despite what he described as the enormous political machinery mobilised by the APC-led Federal Government.
He said the election demonstrated that citizens could resist political pressure when they remained united and determined to protect their democratic choices.
Wabara urged Nigerians to turn out in large numbers during the 2027 elections, vote according to their conscience and remain vigilant at polling units and collation centres.
He stressed that casting a ballot was only one part of the democratic process, arguing that citizens must also protect their votes after voting.
“The Osun experience has shown that when citizens are vigilant, organised and courageous, the power of the ballot can prevail over the power of incumbency.”
Opposition Must Unite Ahead of 2027
Wabara also called on opposition parties to put aside their differences and unite behind a single presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 election.
He warned that multiple opposition candidates could split the votes and give the APC an advantage.
According to him, the opposition must build a strong, united and credible platform capable of challenging the ruling party at the national level.
“The opposition cannot afford to go into 2027 divided.”
Wabara said the Osun election had shown that an incumbent political machine could be defeated, but stressed that the opposition must prepare for a much bigger battle in 2027.
Wabara Urges INEC to Improve BVAS
The former Senate President also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the relatively prompt uploading of polling-unit results on its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He urged the commission to sustain and improve the process ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying prompt and transparent result uploads could strengthen public confidence in the electoral system.
Wabara also called on INEC to address challenges associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), particularly situations where the device allegedly fails to capture the fingerprints of duly accredited voters.
He said no eligible voter should be disenfranchised because of technological problems and urged the commission to use the period before 2027 to thoroughly test and improve its electoral technology and logistics.
Wabara ultimately urged Nigerians not to become complacent because of the Osun result.
He congratulated Adeleke and the people of Osun State but said the real lesson from the election should be greater vigilance, unity and determination to protect democratic choices ahead of 2027.
Source: Statement by Senator Adolphus Wabara.
